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Emerging: How to Eventually Make it in Film & TV
Representation: What does an agent/manager actually do? (with Beatty Smith - Part 2)
Getting an agent or manager is one of the biggest milestones for an emerging screenwriter, but how do you actually make it happen? Do you need representation to break into the industry? And what’s the difference between an agent and a manager anyway? Part 2 of our chat with fantastic writer and friend of the podcast Beatty Smith once again goes deep.
Beatty's repped in the US by Circle, and breaks down every step that led to her getting management, how reps can help your career (but also the bits she did herself), and the best ways to get on their radar (as well as why she said no before saying yes). We’ll also talk about those all important differences between the UK and the US when it comes to agents and managers, the unglamorous realities of unpaid development, why restraint matters when someone shows interest, and the art of holding your nerve when everything starts to move fast.
As always with Beatty, it's a very detailed and practical chat and we couldn't be more grateful for her insight! We also end with a lightning round of questions inspired by Inside the Actors Studio — expect Buffy, Vampire Diaries, and some hilariously dark childhood writing confessions.
If you want to follow Beatty's career, she's @beattysmith on Instagram.
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Email us: TheEmergingPodcast@gmail.com
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Ben is @bmlrobins
Martin is @bananabreadfilm
Tray is @ByTrayepps
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18. Racism: When and how can we talk about racism in the industry?
49:57||Season 1, Ep. 18After mentioning it in almost every episode to date, this week we finally talk openly about racism and diversity in the film and TV industry - from the uncomfortable truths everyone knows but rarely says out loud, to the internal battles we face as emerging writers navigating it all.We actually sat down to talk about rejection (more on that next week) so this one's a little more free-form than normal, but we do pick at a lot of ongoing worries. Particularly that tension between knowing the system is unequal but still wondering if it's just that we're not quite up to standard as writers. We also talk about the pressure to self-censor (even on this very podcast) vs. being honest about our experiences, and of course how race and identity shape not only the stories we tell, but the way we’re allowed to tell them.BESEA Rising Waves statement on ESEA Representation in UK television can be found here - https://www.risingwaves.org/?p=1692📬 Get In Touch:Email us: TheEmergingPodcast@gmail.comFollow us on Instagram: @theemergingpodBen is @bmlrobinsMartin is @bananabreadfilmTray is @ByTrayepps✨ Support the Show:If you enjoyed the episode, please rate and review! And share it with a fellow emerging writer who needs a boost (or a laugh).17. Theme: Should I know what my script is about before I start writing it?
59:34||Season 1, Ep. 17It might sound wild, but sometimes our best and most meaningful work happens completely subconsciously. How many times have we sat down to write something profound and deeply thematically powerful, only to be crushed by the weight of what we're trying to do? So this week, we're (as Tray would say) "deeping it", to dig down into the overarching themes of our scripts, the intention behind them, and how much planning actually goes into their inclusion.We talk about Sinners, about Star Wars and about the great Michael Arndt, discussing how we came to write about everything from loneliness, to difficult parental relationships, to our cultural identities and only realised the subtext of what we'd written long after typing 'Fade Out'. After all, writing can be the best (and cheapest) therapy around!And if you're interested in the Michael Arndt lecture on endings, it's currently on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWHfsEJ5JJo📬 Get In Touch:Email us: TheEmergingPodcast@gmail.comFollow us on Instagram: @theemergingpodBen is @bmlrobinsMartin is @bananabreadfilmTray is @ByTrayepps✨ Support the Show:If you enjoyed the episode, please rate and review! And share it with a fellow emerging writer who needs a boost (or a laugh).16. Education: Should I get a degree in writing? (with Hanna Tatschl)
01:07:21||Season 1, Ep. 16The age old question, I need a creative writing degree, or even a Masters to be a successful writer? Well, you're in luck because our guest this week has both and IS a successful writer, so has a thing or two to say about education... The brilliant Hanna Tatschl, a working screenwriter and playwright from Dublin with credits across TV, theatre, and film, takes us through their unique journey into the industry - one that includes studying at Trinity College and Glasgow Caledonian University. We talk about why they chose to pursue formal education more than once, what they got out of each course, and how studying helped them build both their craft and confidence as a writer.They also give us a glimpse into the world of continuing drama, sharing how the sausage gets made on River City, and why soaps have proven to be such a fantastic proving ground for new writers. So if you’ve ever wondered whether you need to study writing, or why so many working screenwriters started on Casualty, Doctors and other continuing dramas, Hanna's episode is genuinely helpful, packed with insight, honesty, and encouragement. And if you want to follow Hanna's career, you can find them as @hannatatschl on Instagram! 📬 Get In Touch:Email us: TheEmergingPodcast@gmail.comFollow us on Instagram: @theemergingpodBen is @bmlrobinsMartin is @bananabreadfilmTray is @ByTrayepps✨ Support the Show:If you enjoyed the episode, please rate and review! And share it with a fellow emerging writer who needs a boost (or a laugh).15. Taking Time Off: Do I have to write every single day?
44:55||Season 1, Ep. 15It's a competitive industry where everyone seems to be hustling 24/7, so taking time off can often feel like a risk (or even a failure). Fear of missing out is real. So this week, we’re talking about rest - the kind that’s actually meaningful and necessary. We dig into our own fears around taking breaks, the pressure to be constantly producing, and the myth that real writers write every single day. We also explore what proper rest really looks like, and how stepping away (or at the very least, changing your focus) can sometimes be the most productive move of all.If you’ve ever felt guilty about not writing (or you're just totally burned out and in need of a pina colada) this one’s for you.📬 Get In Touch:Email us: TheEmergingPodcast@gmail.comFollow us on Instagram: @theemergingpodBen is @bmlrobinsMartin is @bananabreadfilmTray is @ByTrayepps✨ Support the Show:If you enjoyed the episode, please rate and review! And share it with a fellow emerging writer who needs a boost (or a laugh).14. Writing Teams: Is it better to write solo or with a partner? (with Max Krupski)
01:15:16||Season 1, Ep. 14Writing can be a very solitary pursuit, but it doesn't have to be! Just listen to actor turned screenwriter turned friend of the podcast (and fellow New Writers Collective alum) Max Krupski, who's really found his feet (and a lot of success) working as part of a number of different writing teams and duos. Maybe it's because he's also objectively the nicest man in Britain, but Max has some great insight into creative collaboration, and how to make a writing partnership work to everyone's advantage. There's also a lot here about Max's journey too; his boarding school background, how his formal training as an actor shaped his approach to writing, and how he’s learned to navigate the challenges of writing with dyslexia, using the way his brain works visually to his advantage. And if you want to follow Max's career, he's famously social media phobic and doesn't exist on Instagram, but can often be found at The White Bear in Kennington having a pint of Guinness if you want to bother him in person. 📬 Get In Touch:Email us: TheEmergingPodcast@gmail.comFollow us on Instagram: @theemergingpodBen is @bmlrobinsMartin is @bananabreadfilmTray is @ByTrayepps✨ Support the Show:If you enjoyed the episode, please rate and review! And share it with a fellow emerging writer who needs a boost (or a laugh).13. Notes: Should I listen to every note on my screenplay? (and should I ever pay to get them?)
55:23||Season 1, Ep. 13Getting notes on your screenplay can be a pretty bruising experience, no matter who they're from, whether it's a friend, a loved one, another writer or a high ranking TV exec. But as you've probably heard, it's a truly vital part of the writing process, and something that everyone, no matter how emerged or successful, has to endure. So let's talk about it - the good, the bad and the ugly of both giving and receiving notes on your work. The art of taking a note, when to action it, when to ignore it, and when to consider it politically. Who we show our work to and ask for notes from. And the art of giving notes on other people's work too; as a writer, you'll definitely be asked what you think, but how far should you go? Should you be pitching new scenes, or just giving a basic thumbs up or thumbs down? And of course the age old question (which we really go deep on), should you ever pay money for coverage notes from a service like WeScreenplay, The Black List, or Coverfly? (and what happens now a lot of them are shutting down?) 📬 Get In Touch:Email us: TheEmergingPodcast@gmail.comFollow us on Instagram: @theemergingpodBen is @bmlrobinsMartin is @bananabreadfilmTray is @ByTrayepps✨ Support the Show:If you enjoyed the episode, please rate and review! And share it with a fellow emerging writer who needs a boost (or a laugh).12. Timing: When do I know I'm good enough? (with Olivia Ababio)
01:04:05||Season 1, Ep. 12Knowing when to stand up and back yourself as a writer is tricky business, especially when our chances to connect with producers and agents and people who can actually move our careers are few and far between. Too early, and neither you, nor your work will be ready, but wait too long and you might miss your shot. Which is why this week we're sitting down with close friend, former development assistant and script editor, and fellow New Writers Collective alumnus Olivia Ababio, for a properly varied chat about her journey, her (incredibly successful) run of writing schemes, and when she knew it was time to start seriously mapping out her career as a writer.If you want to follow her career, Olivia's @oliviaababio on Instagram, and yes, we totally see the irony in calling this episode 'Timing', when Olivia is famously *always* late.📬 Get In Touch:Email us: TheEmergingPodcast@gmail.comFollow us on Instagram: @theemergingpodBen is @bmlrobinsMartin is @bananabreadfilmTray is @ByTrayepps✨ Support the Show:If you enjoyed the episode, please rate and review! And share it with a fellow emerging writer who needs a boost (or a laugh).11. Side Quests: What else can I do to improve my writing?
46:34||Season 1, Ep. 11Side quests aren't just for gamers - this week we're all in the same place for once(!), digging deep into all the other stuff we do outside of screenwriting (from stand-up and improv, to travelling and reading comic books) that feeds our creativity, keeps us sane, and ultimately, makes us better at what we do.Writing doesn't happen in a bubble, and there's a lot to be said for getting out there and living your life beyond the page!So if you’ve ever felt guilty for not writing 24/7, this episode is your permission to embrace those side quests... They might just be the weird little secret push your writing needs to go from good, to totally inspiring and real. 📬 Get In Touch:Email us: TheEmergingPodcast@gmail.comFollow us on Instagram: @theemergingpodBen is @bmlrobinsMartin is @bananabreadfilmTray is @ByTrayepps✨ Support the Show:If you enjoyed the episode, please rate and review! And share it with a fellow emerging writer who needs a boost (or a laugh).10.5. BONUS: How do I stand out as a writer/filmmaker? (with Louis Chan)
18:29||Season 1, Ep. 10.5It's a competitive industry, so maybe sometimes the only way to stand out from the crowd is to actually make stuff. Martin's close friend and collaborator Louis Chan (director of Highs, writer of Sticks of Fury and A LOT of other shorts) joins him for a quick chat about maintaining that creative hustle, and how his latest film Patience came to be.Patience will be out via Omeleto on YouTube from 15th May.Louis will be back with us soon, but in the meantime find links to all of his films at louischanfilms.com, and of course drop him a follow on Instagram @louischanwing.📬 Get In Touch:Email us: TheEmergingPodcast@gmail.comFollow us on Instagram: @theemergingpodBen is @bmlrobinsMartin is @bananabreadfilmTray is @ByTrayepps✨ Support the Show:If you enjoyed the episode, please rate and review! And share it with a fellow emerging writer who needs a boost (or a laugh).